CNN’s Kate Bolduan panicked on Friday after new polling from the network showed that regardless of how former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris performed during this week’s debate, voters still overwhelmingly said that Trump was the better choice for the economy. Bolduan made the remarks on the network’s “News Central” while talking to far-Left commentator Van Jones and CNN Republican Alyssa Farah Griffin. The poll found that the margin of voters who said Trump was better for the economy than Harris increased from 16% to 20% after the debate, increasing Trump’s lead to 55%-35% over Harris. “We’ve got the Fed very likely looking to cut rates for the first time since early pandemic days,” she said. “What does that mean for this point in the campaign? Because it’s a funky place. You’ve got, potentially, a good sign that Kamala Harris can talk about, kind of quote-unquote late-stage change, but you still have Donald Trump killing her when it comes to the economy. In that snap poll after the debate, he was up 20 points on the economy even though the vast majority said she won the debate.” Later during the segment, she expressed frustration over the Biden-Harris administration’s messaging surrounding the economy. Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! “I just think the response I’ve gotten to ‘why isn’t she doing better on the economy’ or ‘why wasn’t Biden doing better on the economy’ that I’ve gotten from administration officials and from Democratic electeds, it has been unsatisfying to this point, which is they just haven’t gotten our message,” Bolduan said. “And at some point, I’m asking, where’s the expiration date on that reasoning? As at some point there has to be.” WATCH: WATCH: CNN’s Kate Bolduan: “Donald Trump is killing [Kamala Harris] when it comes to the economy. In that snap poll after the debate, he was up 20 points on the economy…” pic.twitter.com/WVdCeEPeN5 — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) September 13, 2024

The New Yorker’s Susan Glasser got walloped by Community Notes on Wednesday — and despite a direct challenge from the Trump campaign, has thus far declined to make any corrections. Glasser wrote a response piece for The New Yorker after Tuesday’s ABC debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris — the latter of whom got a series of fact-checking assists from moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis — and among other things, she suggested that Trump had gone off the rails when he claimed Harris was in favor of tax-payer-funded transgender surgeries for illegal immigrants in detention. Harris’s bet was that Trump would say a lot of crazy and unhinged stuff if she got him going. It was a safe bet. I’ve watched every Presidential debate for the past two decades, and I can’t think of anything that ranks higher in pure stupidity than Trump ranting and raving to a national audience about immigrants supposedly eating people’s cats and dogs. His line about how the Vice-President “wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison” was pretty memorable, too. What the hell was he talking about? No one knows, which was, of course, exactly Harris’s point. Glasser even highlighted the sentiment of that particular passage in her X post promoting the article: “Trump made history last night for sure. Who will ever forget him ranting on stage about immigrants eating people’s dogs? Or insisting that the Vice President ‘wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in jail’?” Trump made history last night for sure. Who will ever forget him ranting on stage about immigrants eating people’s dogs? Or insisting that the Vice President ‘wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in jail’? My piece on Trump’s too-crazy moment:… — Susan Glasser (@sbg1) September 11, 2024 But other X users quickly slapped Glasser with a Community Note, saying that according to an ACLU questionnaire — which Harris filled out in 2019 during her first failed bid for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination — she did, in fact, support exactly that. Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! “I support policies ensuring that federal prisoners and detainees are able to obtain medically necessary care for gender transition, including surgical care, while incarcerated or detained,” the questionnaire read, and Harris marked “yes.” Harris is also on video claiming that she herself was instrumental in changing the policy in California to ensure that trans-identifying inmates within the prison system “would have access to the medical care that they desired and need.” Tax-funded gender surgeries in prisons is so crazy that they think WE made it up Roll the tape… pic.twitter.com/zqu3QAHfPa — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 12, 2024 Following the debate, after several pundits and media outlets suggested that Trump was crazy for suggesting Harris might support such a policy, that video and the 2019 ACLU questionnaire began to resurface on X — prompting at least TIME Magazine to issue a correction. “The original version of this story mischaracterized as false Donald Trump’s statement accusing Kamala Harris of supporting ‘transgender operations on illegal aliens in prison.’ As a presidential candidate in 2019, Harris filled out a questionnaire saying she supported taxpayer-funded gender transition treatments for detained immigrants,” the correction read. A tale of two publications.@TIME embarrassingly had to issue a correction on its bogus fact check that claimed it was false that Harris supports taxpayer funded sex changes for detained illegal aliens (she told the ACLU she does). But they did it.@NewYorker refuses to do so. pic.twitter.com/0wYrctv77E — Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) September 12, 2024 Still, even when pressed to do so by a Trump campaign official, The New Yorker opted to let Glasser’s piece ride. Glasser, according to The Washington Free Beacon, informed the official that she was standing by the “view expressed in the column that this was a memorable line and also one that would be hard as heck for someone in the audience to understand what the former president meant by it.” Her goal, she explained further, was simply to ask about “the political advisability of bringing up these things in a national debate.” “Despite this back and forth I still have no idea what the heck the former president was talking about. Kind of like claiming she is a Marxist. Or saying she supports abortions of babies—after they are born,” Glasser continued. “Are you retracting those claims and correcting the record on them? Thanks.” But Glasser was wrong on those claims as well: During the debate, Harris refused to answer whether she would ever support any restrictions on abortion. Her running mate, Governor Tim Walz (D-MN), recently signed legislation granting broader access to abortion, and stripped away language that required doctors to take lifesaving action in the event that a baby survived an attempted abortion.

'They wouldn't want to risk it'

Our list of the 10 Best Rock Songs About History features some of the most legendary songs ever written and recorded by artists who explore significant moments in world history. Although we are a rock website based in New York, we recognize that our readership is primarily global. More importantly, we acknowledge that music knows no geographical boundaries, and we strive to celebrate music from around the world. In this article, we aimed to cover not just American history but world history, including songs about historical events from multiple countries and eras throughout recorded history. # 10 – Boston Tea The post 10 Best Rock Songs About History appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

In 1990, in the midst of a heated—and racially charged—U.S. Senate race in North Carolina between Republican incumbent Jesse Helms and Democratic challenger Harvey Gantt, Chicago Bulls superstar guard Michael Jordan issued one of his most famous lines. Jordan, who grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, and won a national championship in 1982 for the famed University of North Carolina Tar Heels basketball program, was asked whether he would endorse Gantt. Jordan’s memorable response, which OutKick founder and syndicated radio host Clay Travis subsequently adopted for a book title, was: “Republicans buy sneakers too.” Jordan, in other words, refused to politicize his brand and thus risk sacrificing sales of his signature Air Jordan sneakers, which Nike had first unveiled six years earlier. It was an admirable assertion of political neutrality—a refusal to bend the knee to those mandating a stifling and homogenous political correctness. As Jordan would later tell ESPN during the filming of its docuseries “The Last Dance,” which aired in 2020, “I never thought of myself as an activist. I thought of myself as a basketball player.” Jordan’s neutrality from decades ago was criticized, during the ESPN miniseries, by someone who knows a lot about exacerbating race relations: former President Barack Obama. In response to that criticism, Jordan doubled down, effectively flipping two middle fingers to the 44th president: “It’s never going to be enough for everybody, and I know that. Because everybody has a preconceived idea for what I should do and what I shouldn’t do.” As a lifelong college basketball fan of University of North Carolina archrival Duke and a 1990s-era childhood pro hoops fan of the Bulls’ perennially hapless Eastern Conference rival, the New York Knicks, I am loath to credit Michael Jordan. But in this instance, “MJ” was spot-on. In today’s hyper-politicized era, it raises an obvious question: Do Republicans still buy sneakers too? Taylor Swift seems to think not. In a viral Instagram post earlier this week, the megastar singer-songwriter endorsed Kamala Harris for president. Citing a litany of left-wing pet causes, such as “LGBTQ+ rights,” in vitro fertilization, and the pro-abortion euphemism of “a woman’s right to her own body,” Swift concluded that Harris is a “steady-handed, gifted leader” who has earned her vote. Swift is the first-ever music industry billionaire, so perhaps she has cynically concluded that she simply does not need conservative or Republican patronage. It’s been at least a decade and a half since Swift sang something approximating country music, and she may simply no longer care about alienating the southerners and churchgoers who disproportionately constitute country music’s fanbase. Swift, who is dating Kansas City Chiefs all-pro tight end Travis Kelce, was on hand in Las Vegas in February to see Kelce’s Chiefs prevail in a thrilling Super Bowl overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers. She stood just offstage as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recognized star Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, for the third time this decade, as Super Bowl MVP. Mahomes is an evangelical Christian who has spoken about how he prays before every game to “thank God for those opportunities.” Mahomes’ wife, Brittany, furthermore, “liked” an Instagram post last month from former President Donald Trump. It is thus not a very well-kept secret that Kelce’s own quarterback Mahomes, as well as Mahomes’ wife, Brittany, are a contemporary conservative Christian power couple. All of that makes it even more remarkable that Mahomes, when asked at a press conference earlier this week what he thought of Swift’s high-profile presidential endorsement and whether he himself would be issuing an endorsement of his own, stuck to Jordan’s neutrality position. As Mahomes put it: “I don’t want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate. … I think my place is to inform people to get registered to vote. It’s to inform people to do their own research, and then make their best decision for them and their family.” Hear, hear. Mahomes—like Jordan before him—intuitively understands something that Swift does not. Americans routinely tune into sports games on their TVs and listen to music on their radios as a distraction from our chaotic news cycles and the political tumult of the day. It is not merely a commercial proposition—that Republicans might also buy Air Jordans, and pro-lifers might also purchase Swift albums. It is certainly that. But it is also a matter of basic decency—of using one’s massive platform in order to assuage, and not exacerbate, the domestic tensions that have brought our politics to a frenzied fever pitch. Swift’s endorsement won’t move the needle. But it is condemnable. Let’s seek out celebrities who would elevate us and play into our better angels—not those who would tear us apart and tear us down. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Do Republicans Still Buy Sneakers Too? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The “American dream” has long been a cornerstone of our national identity—the idea that any citizen of the United States, regardless of upbringing or background, can work his or her way to prosperity. It is why nearly 1 in 5 businesses in the country are owned by first-generation Americans. It is borne out in the sharp increase over the past 20 years in college students from economically distressed households. It is also reflected in the “income advancements” we have seen among American families over the past 30 years.   Despite the upward mobility experienced by millions, the American people are losing hope. In newly released polling data published by our organization, the Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy, 66% of Americans polled believe the concept of the American dream has become “less attainable” over the last 10 years. Only 9% of Americans think the dream has become more attainable. About 40% of American voters say the American dream is out of reach for them, with young people most likely to agree. It is also a pessimistic sentiment more pronounced for black Americans, who were the least likely to say they have achieved it.   Overall, only 1 in 5 of voters believe they have reached the American dream. While it is disappointing to see Americans lose hope, it is also an expected outcome after the surging inflation of the past several years. Prices of goods are up an average of 20% since President Joe Biden took office. An analysis published by the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee late last year estimated that, due to inflation, the average household would need to spend an additional $11,434 annually just to maintain their same standard of living they had prior to January 2021. The situation has become so dire for some that it was recently reported that more Americans are being forced to choose between paying for food and paying their energy bills. One mother admitted to CBS News, “Sometimes I have to choose whether I’m going to pay the light bill, or do I pay all the rent or buy food or not let my son do a sport?” This is the crushing reality for far too many families as they have tried to stay afloat while coping with the 40-year-high inflation that has gripped prices nationwide. Homeownership—long considered a staple of the American dream—has also become more difficult for families to achieve. Soaring interest rates, needed to curb runaway inflation, have increased mortgage rates, creating an affordability crisis. A CNN poll found that the overwhelming majority of Americans currently renting “would like to buy a home but can’t afford one.” More than 50% of those asked feel they’ll never be able to own their own home. It is estimated that due to the rising mortgage interest rates and property costs, “home buyers now need to earn $47,000 more than they did in 2020”—an increase of 80%—to be able to comfortably buy a home, according to a report by Zillow. This is demoralizing for those simply trying to purchase a family home. All these factors are making Americans less optimistic about their future and their children’s future. Our polling found that more than 50% of Americans believe the United States will be worse off down the road. This national pessimism is toxic for the future of America. If we are going to course correct and deliver a tomorrow that inspires today’s workforce, we need smart policies that will help families climb out of the financial hardships they have had to face over the past several years. To restore faith in the American dream, we must re-imagine it for today’s world. At the Rainey Center, we have focused our commitment on advancing innovative and actionable solutions that demonstrate a capacity to address some of the nation’s most complex challenges, from advocating for economic empowerment to boosting domestic energy production. One of the crucial policies we have advocated for is permitting reform, which includes commonsense measures that will lower energy costs for families, lead to more infrastructure development, and reduce bureaucratic red tape. It is also a policy that has broad bipartisan support from the American people—and voters want to see reform, so it is easier to build infrastructure in America. The next administration should immediately move to deregulate energy production and invest in energy innovation to reverse the current economic trend. The path forward requires policies that both preserve the integrity of the American dream and make it accessible once again. By encouraging fresh ideas, institutions like the Rainey Center—in their collaboration with policymakers at every level of government—can lay the foundation for a new era of opportunity—one where all Americans, regardless of background, can share in the promise of prosperity. Only by embracing bold, inclusive solutions can we ensure the dream remains a tangible goal for future generations. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Americans Are Losing Hope in the American Dream appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Beware of Smirking Germans

Fani Willis' No Good, Terrible, Very Bad Week Continues with No-Show

A Republican-led congressional committee called out an office within the Biden-Harris State Department over its brazen anti-free speech activities. The House Small Business Committee, chaired by Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX), specifically scolded the Department of State’s interagency Global Engagement Center (GEC) for circumventing “its strict international mandate by funding, developing, then promoting … entities with domestic censorship capabilities.” In an interim report titled “Instruments and Casualties of the Censorship-Industrial Complex,” the congressional body found that this anti-free speech funding stemmed from a “censorship ecosystem” fueled by the federal government. Besides GEC’s violative actions, the Small Business Committee called out the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). NED is a “private non-profit funded almost entirely by Congressional appropriations, [which] violated its international restrictions by collaborating with fact-checking entities” in assessing domestic U.S. press and their admissions to an organization rating supposed “credibility.” The report alleged that small businesses cannot freely compete online thanks to federal government involvement in attacking constitutional rights. “The Federal government has funded, developed, and promoted entities that aim to demonetize news and information outlets because of their lawful speech, impacting domestic businesses’ operations, reputation, customer reach, and revenue,” read the report.  The Committee added that it had subpoenaed documents after the State Department tried to stonewall the investigation and called out the “impermissible” government “abridgement of viewpoint-based speech” through GEC and NED in violation of the First Amendment. MRC vice president for free speech Dan Schneider said, “I think there is a lot of evidence that the State Department has been withholding information from Congress about the extent of its role in censoring speech. What is publicly known is bad enough, but what will soon be made public should cause all good-government advocates, on the left and on the right, to call for Antony Blinken to shape up or ship out.”  One group GEC funded was the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), which blacklisted right-leaning websites from ad revenue, including The Federalist and The Daily Wire. The lengthy congressional report, spanning 66 pages, dived into extensive details on what the lawmakers dubbed the “Censorship-Industrial Complex” attacking independent news outlets through funding domestic censorship organizations. The violation of GEC’s mandate began with a 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed by then-President Barack Obama, according to the report. It was followed by funding in 2018 and 2019 for GEC to counter alleged “disinformation,” and finally culminated in GEC’s overreaching “whole-of-society” and “whole-of-government” approach. The damning report is the product of an investigation launched by House Republicans after the Washington Examiner exposed funding records showing GEC’s cash flow to domestic censorship groups. Tellingly, MRC Free Speech America reported in February that the State Department had threatened to obstruct the congressional probe into GEC and its anti-free speech activities. Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on “hate speech” and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.

The Biden-Harris administration’s open-border policies and expanded “lawful pathways” have wreaked havoc in many cities nationwide, including the small town of Tremont City, Ohio, within the Springfield metropolitan area.The administration’s CHNV program has enabled otherwise inadmissible Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan nationals to fly into the United States and receive a two-year work permit. The program allows 30,000 individuals from these countries to enter the country each month.Additionally, the Biden-Harris administration extended Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants through August next year.Both of these programs have contributed to a flood of approximately 20,000 Haitian nationals arriving in Springfield, Ohio, and subsequently spilling over into nearby smaller municipalities, including Tremont City. The administration’s actions have strained the village's resources, led to an increase in traffic accidents, and caused a housing shortage, according to local officials and residents who recently spoke to Blaze News’ Julio Rosas. Tony Flood II, the mayor of Tremont City, told Rosas, “Words can’t describe how it makes me feel. I’m ashamed of leaders and leadership allowing this kind of stuff to just pretty much invade.”“My wife works in downtown Springfield,” he continued. “My daughter works right beside her, and I’m scared to death that one of these days I’m going to get a phone call or a visit by a state trooper or something that they’ve been hit. They’ve been rolled over.”He noted that the number of traffic accidents in the area, especially around Springfield, has increased since the city welcomed the new foreign national arrivals. “Honestly, it pisses me off that we’ve allowed it to hit this point. I mean, there’s kids getting killed,” Flood added. Last year, an 11-year-old boy was killed and dozens of children were injured when a Haitian driver allegedly crashed into a school bus.Tremont City Police Chief Chad Duncan told Blaze News that the town has experienced a “major influx” of Haitians.He said, “None of them have a license, and if they do, they’re temporary permits. Obviously, you can’t drive on a temporary permit in the state of Ohio.”According to the officer, the increase in accidents could easily “be prevented if everybody would get on the same page, all law enforcement, and start towing these vehicles.”Duncan explained that the town's law enforcement resources are limited and strained due to the recent population boom.“We don’t have the capability of keeping up with all of it,” he added, noting that the village has not been provided any additional resources.Mark Sanders, a Tremont City resident, told Blaze News that the town has been on top of towing vehicles driven by unlicensed drivers, but he noted that Springfield has not. Sanders speculated that Springfield is trying to appear more welcoming and accommodating to the Haitian nationals by not towing the vehicles. He said that he has been hit twice and his mother-in-law once while driving on Tremont City roads.“The police, they’re almost morally crushed because every day they show up to five, six, seven of these accidents,” Sanders continued. “It’s like the movie 'Groundhog Day.' It’s the same thing over and over.” Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!